In November P&G, the Proud Sponsor of Mums, launched the Champion Mums' Foundation: A campaign offering hardworking mums the chance to be awarded a bursary from a whopping £150,000 pot. The only stipulation was that the award had to be used towards making a positive difference to the winners' lives as mums, to their family or to the community. Here mum Nicola Brims, tells us what winning the prize meant to her...
'As I looked around the room I felt so proud. The kids were all smiling because of their new toys. "It feels like Christmas," I said to my friends Amanda and Linda. "And we made it happen!"
'We were at our weekly volunteer support group, Sweet Peas, a place for families with children with additional needs or disabilities.
'I'd come across the group six years earlier, when I was trying to deal with the behavioural problems of my son, Zachary, then 3. He was a gorgeous boy but prone to tantrums and aggression towards his little brother, Ethan, then 2.
'Everyone there was just so lovely, and didn't judge me when Zachary threw toys across the room. They were helpful, gave me advice and one even suggested Zachary might have Asperger's syndrome - which he was later diagnosed with.
'I started going every week. And as the years passed I began volunteering. Then last year, the charity that funded us had to withdraw its help. Luckily, a local church let us carry on using their hall and small donations covered the snacks. But we still needed money for up-to-date toys.
'Then Amanda read that the P&G Champions Mums' Foundation was offering mums the chance to receive a bursary award to help themselves, their family or community.
"Look at this," she said. "We should give it a go!" We applied there and then.
'Two months later I got a phone call. "You've been successful!"
'I was so happy I wanted to cry! I couldn't wait to tell the others.
'And here we were, watching the kids play with the new toys. This group has been brilliant for me, my husband Gary, 43, and my two boys, now aged 10 and 9. And now it will be around to help other families - thanks to the P&G bursary award.'
Behind the prize
P&G, Proud sponsor of Mums, has been making mums' lives easier for more than 170 years with trusted household brands such as Daz, Ambi Pur and Viakal. Now P&G is saying thank you to mums for all the amazing things they do. Find out more at thankyoumum.pg.com
